(AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
UCF lost their second game of the season to Kansas State tonight, by a score of 17-13.
Why UCF lost the game
Missed opportunities. UCF looked like the better team for most of the game. The Knights outgained Kansas State 344 yard to 272, and had nine more first downs than the Wildcats. Jeff Godfrey threw one bad interception inside Kansas State territory, but the kicking game is what ultimately let the Knights down. Junior Nick Cattoi, who finished the game with two made field goals, also missed two today, one of which was a 23 yard chip shot.
Why Kansas State win the game
The Wildcats were ultimately able to punish UCF for their mistakes. Senior QB Carson Coffman overcame a shaky Kansas State ground game to throw for one TD and run for another, which became the eventual game winner with 24 seconds left on the clock. The play-action pass worked well, as the UCF defense was focused on stopping tailback Daniel Thomas who was held under 100 yards for the first time this season. Coffman’s 58 yard pass to Aubrey Quarles off play-action changed the scope of the game.
UCF Game Ball:
Redshirt junior tailback Ronnie Weaver. Weaver came into the season as the number three back in the Knights offense, but a strong performance last week against Buffalo opened Coach O’Leary’s eyes enough to give him significant playing time today, and it paid off. Weaver finished today’s game with 130 yards and a TD, averaging an impressive 5.9 yards per carry.
What this all means:
The Knights now fall to 2-2 on the season. UCF will need to overcome a stinging loss this week as they begin conference play next Wednesday. The defense looked very solid, keeping UCF in the game until the very end. The run defense was particularly effective shutting down the Big 12’s leading rusher, but the offense needs to finish their drives for UCF to sustain success.
Up Next:
The Knights kick off Conference USA play when they return home for the first time in two weeks to face the UAB Blazers. The Blazers almost secured a big win today, narrowly losing to perennial SEC power Tennessee in overtime.
